diff --git a/libs/libkis/Document.h b/libs/libkis/Document.h
--- a/libs/libkis/Document.h
+++ b/libs/libkis/Document.h
@@ -190,6 +190,22 @@
      */
     bool setColorSpace(const QString &colorModel, const QString &colorDepth, const QString &colorProfile);
 
+    /**
+     * @brief backGroundColor returns the current background color of the document. The color will
+     * also include the opacity.
+     *
+     * @return QColor
+     */
+    QColor backGroundColor();
+
+    /**
+     * @brief setBackGroundColor sets the background color of the document. It will trigger a projection
+     * also.
+     *
+     * @param color A QColor that matches the document's colorModel.
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    bool setBackGroundColor(const QColor &color);
 
     /**
      * @brief documentInfo creates and XML document representing document and author information.
diff --git a/libs/libkis/Document.cpp b/libs/libkis/Document.cpp
--- a/libs/libkis/Document.cpp
+++ b/libs/libkis/Document.cpp
@@ -52,8 +52,10 @@
 #include <kis_filter_strategy.h>
 #include <kis_guides_config.h>
 #include <kis_coordinates_converter.h>
+#include <kis_layer_utils.h>
 
 #include <KisMimeDatabase.h>
+#include <KoColor.h>
 #include <KoColorSpace.h>
 #include <KoColorProfile.h>
 #include <KoColorSpaceRegistry.h>
@@ -197,6 +199,28 @@
     return true;
 }
 
+QColor Document::backGroundColor()
+{
+    if (!d->document) return QColor();
+    if (!d->document->image()) return QColor();
+
+    const KoColor color = d->document->image()->defaultProjectionColor();
+    return color.toQColor();
+}
+
+bool Document::setBackGroundColor(const QColor &color)
+{
+    if (!d->document) return false;
+    if (!d->document->image()) return false;
+
+    KoColor background = KoColor(color, d->document->image()->colorSpace());
+    d->document->image()->setDefaultProjectionColor(background);
+
+    d->document->image()->setModified();
+    d->document->image()->initialRefreshGraph();
+
+    return true;
+}
 
 QString Document::documentInfo() const
 {
diff --git a/plugins/extensions/pykrita/sip/krita/Document.sip b/plugins/extensions/pykrita/sip/krita/Document.sip
--- a/plugins/extensions/pykrita/sip/krita/Document.sip
+++ b/plugins/extensions/pykrita/sip/krita/Document.sip
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@
     QString colorProfile() const;
     bool setColorProfile(const QString &colorProfile);
     bool setColorSpace(const QString &value, const QString &colorDepth, const QString &colorProfile);
+    QColor backGroundColor();
+    bool setBackGroundColor(const QColor &color);
     QString documentInfo() const;
     void setDocumentInfo(const QString &document);
     QString fileName() const;